caywood



Max-ch31, 1964 A. v. CAYWOOD PAINT ROLLER CLEANER Filed March 8, 1963 IN VEN TOR 4 (1525 Y l6 CA YWOOD United States Patent 3,126,899 PAINT RGLLER CLEAIIER Aubrey V. Caywood, 525 San Antonio Ave.,

Palo Alto, Caiif. Filed Mar. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 263,853 1 Claim. ((Zl. 134-138) This invention relates to painting, and more particularly to a device used to clean rollers that replace brushes for the painting of walls of buildings and the like.

While paint rollers have been on the market for a number of years, and are admittedly a big improvement over brushes for the painting of large flat surfaces, rollers do have one disadvantage for they are not as easily cleaned as brushes without splashing cleaning liquid on surrounding surfaces.

It is, therefore, the prime object of this invention to provide a paint roller cleaner that will permit the cleaning of a paint roller without any splashing of the cleaning liquid, usually water from a hose.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint roller cleaner that encompasses the entire roller while the water is being forced over the same from a hose.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint roller cleaner that fully protects the user from coming into contact with the cleaning water.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint roller cleaner that effectively confines the cleaning water to the roller being cleaned, thus resulting in the paint roller being cleaner than it would be if cleaned by merely spraying water or another liquid on the same from a hose.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint roller cleaner that is compact, easy to store, and light and easy to handle, even for a woman.

A final object of this invention is to provide a paint roller cleaner of one-piece construction that can correctly and quickly be used by anyone capable of handling a paint roller.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent upon reference to the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of this invention taken along line 1-1 of FIGURE 2. The paint roller is shown in place for cleaning, in phantom lines.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of this invention showing a paint roller in the same, ready for cleaning. The paint roller is shown in phantom lines.

FIGURE 3 illustrates one end of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is a front view of this invention.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that the reference numeral 7 indicates a paint roller cleaner that consists of a tubular member 8, which may be formed from sheet metal or any other desired material, and which is provided with a left end plate 9 that has a configuration of a circular ring sector, and a right end plate 10 that has a configuration of a ring to which a U-shaped clip 11 is secured while a similar clip 12 is secured to the external surface 13 of the aforesaid tubular member 8.

Looking at the first, second, and fourth figures on the appended drawing, it will be seen that the aforesaid tubular member 8 is provided with an elongated opening 14. The front edge 15 of the opening is turned upward, while the rear edge 16 is turned downward to guide the flow of water or other cleaning liquid as it comes from the nozzle 17 of a hose which is not shown in the drawing as it is not an actual part of the invention.

The way in which this invention is used is self-explanatory. When one examines FIGURES 1 and 2 of the appended drawing, it is seen that a paint roller 18 is rotatably mounted on one end of the U-shaped member 3,126,899 Patented Mar. 31, 1964 ice 20. The U-shaped member has its other end formed at a right angle thereto, and terminating in either a handle or the support for a handle. The aforesaid paint roller 18 is placed through the opening in the right end plate 1t), and on into the aforesaid tubular member 8. The end portion 22, of the aforesaid U-shaped member 20, is now placed in the U-shaped clip 11, while the member 23 of the U-shaped member 20 is in the confines of the clip 12, thus holding the paint roller 13, in, but not touching the inside wall of the invention. The nozzle 17 is held above the elongated opening 14 of the tubular member 8, and the water turned on. The water will now enter the elongated opening, and by reason of its force, wash paint from the roller, as the nozzle 17 is slowly moved from one end of the device to the other, until only clean water runs from the left end of the invention. However, some of the water will come out through the open end plate 10 on the right end of the paint roller cleaner 7. When this invention is used inside a building, the device is held up close to the water faucet, which replaces the nozzle 17 of the hose. The water, in either case, rotates the paint roller, thereby creating centrifugal force, that along with the actual washing action of the water, cleans the paint from the roller. When the paint roller 18 has been thoroughly cleaned and removed from the paint roller cleaner 7, it is only necessary to wash out the smooth inside of the invention in order to have the device clean and ready to use again.

From the foregoing, it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved Paint Roller Cleaner that accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it will be understood that all matter therein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having now described my invention, and the manner in which the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A paint roller cleaner comprising a tubular member having one end plate that has the configuration of a circular ring sector and the other end plate having the configuration of a ring, the said tubular member being provided with an elongated opening extending the full length thereof; the front edge of the opening being curved upward, and the rear edge thereof being curved downward, thereby providing a guiding surface for any cleaning liquid flowing out of a nozzle into the said tubular member in which a cylindrical paint roller is inserted when it is desired to clean paint out of the same, and that end of the said paint roller cleaner that has the configuration of a ring being provided with a U-shaped clip in which a portion of the U-shaped member of the said paint roller is placed, while a like U-shaped clip is secured to the external surface of the said tubular member for the reception of that part of the paint roller member that is near the handle of the said paint roller, thereby providing a means of holding the said paint roller and paint roller cleaner while the liquid is forced through the said paint roller cleaner, and of cleaning the paint from the paint roller by both the washing action and centrifugal force of the rotating paint roller which is rotated by the action of the liquid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,831,488 Anderson Apr. 22, 1958 2,938,368 Bixel May 31, 1960 3,037,516 Leach June 5, 1962 3,075,534 Habostad Ian. 29, 1963 

